Rugby ball

item details

NameRugby ball

ProductionUnknown; circa 1921

Classificationballs

Materialsleather, rubber, ink, thread

Materials Summaryleather ball with ink signatures

Techniqueshandwriting, leatherworking, machine sewing

DimensionsOverall: 197mm (width), 195mm (height), 290mm (length)

Registration NumberGH012621

Credit linePurchased 2009

Overview

This is a significant piece of rugby memorabilia. It records the names of over 40 rugby players in matches between Otago and South Africa spanning four noteworthy New Zealand tours against the Springboks (South Africa's national rugby team): 1921, 1937, 1956, and 1965. These tours are the New Zealand half of the story of the ongoing rugby rivalry between the two former British colonies and sporting foes. It is associated with the 'golden days' of this rivalry, before the Springboks toured New Zealand in 1981. This tour caused widespread civil discontent because of South Africa's system of apartheid and the issue of whether politics should or should not influence sports.

Signed rugby balls and other rugby mementoes tend to have signatures from one particular match, so this ball is also significant because of the number of matches it documents over a period of 44 years.